SANKARANARAYANAR TEMPLE, SANKARANKOIL NEAR TIRUNELVELI

SANKARANARAYANAR TEMPLE, SANKARANKOIL NEAR TIRUNELVELI

On 13th October 2018, I had darshan at Sankarankoil.  After having darshan at Tiruchendur, I left by Road to Sankaran koil via Tirunelveli and was just in time at 12.20 noon, as the temple closes at 1 P.M.  Sankarankoil is at a distance of 57 kms from Tirunelveli and 120 kms from Madurai.

Has at entrance a 9 tier Rajagopuram where Senbaga Vinayagar blesses devotess and siddi vinayagar sannidhi is prior to Sankaralinga swamy sannidhi.  As it was Dusserah, a magnificient Golu had been kept ahead of the Dwajasthambam.    

                                                Golu in sankaran koil

Sankaralingaswamy is the main deity and the Ambal here is Gomathi amman.  The Sankaranarayanar sanndhi is in between the sankarar and gomathi sannidhis.  Dwajasthambams are in front of Sankaralingaswamy and Gomathy amman only.  Adhikaranandhi in front of Sankaralingaswamy near Dwajasthambam is with the consort Suyajadevi and he is under a Rudraksha Pandhal.   Sun rays directly fall on the Sankaralinga Swamy for 3 days around 21st of March and September. 

                                                        Sankaranarayanan

                                                  Urchavar Sankaranarayanan

Sankaranarayanan sannidhi is between Sankarar and Gomathi sannidhis.   The right side of Sankaranarayan has the Agni, Ganga, crescent moon, locks of hair, ear ring, Rudraksha on the chest and also Mazhu the weapon of Lord Siva with tiger skin on his waist.  Sangan is holding the Umbrella on the Tiruvasi.  On the left part as Vishnu, he has gem studded crown, hanging ear ring- Kundalam, Tulasi bead and Lakshmi mala in Chest and a conch and silk peethambara on the waist.  Paduma is holding the umbrella on this side.  Tulsi theertha is offered as prasadham in the morning pooja and in all other poojas Vibhuti is given as prasadham.  Deity is offered both vilva and tulasi.  Siva is abhisheka priyan and Vishnu alankara priyan.  Here the abishekam is conducted to the Spatika linga Chandramouleeswarar, given to this temple by Sringeri Mutt.  Best of the alangarams are done to Sankaranarayanan. Vaikunda Ekadasi festival is celebrated with equal fanfare and the temple has a Sorga Vasal.  Lord Vishnu gives darshan on a palanquin on this day in sayana, reclining posture. 

Vanmeeganathar sannidhi after Sankaralingaswamy sannidhi is the Puthu koil (Ant-hill) and the prasadham here is Puthuman. (Sand from ant-hill).  Vanmeegam means ant hill. 

Vanmeeganathar is sitting on a serpant with the serpant's hood above Lord Shiva's head.  While people pray to 5 naga idols before this shrine with milk abhishekam, for Vanmeeganathar, they adorn him with turmeric powder. 

                                                 Vanmeeganathar Sannidhi

Normally, Lingothbavar used to be in the Koshta of the Siva temples. Here Yoga Narasimhar blesses devotees from that place.  There is a shrine for Sarpa Vinayaka with Serpant in hand in the Kannimoolai.   In the eastern prakara, on the right side pillar the statue of Ukkira Pandiya Arasan can be seen and on the left side pillar Uma and Siva in standing posture can be seen.  In the Southern Prakara are the shrines of Nalvar, Sekkizhar, 63 Nayanmars, Mahavishnu, Juradevar and Lord Subramnaya with Valli and Deivanai.    Northern Prakara's southern side is the Vanmeeganathar shrine and by the side is the Chandikeswarar sannidhi.  On Northern side of this prakara is the shrines of Sani bhagavan, Kasi Viswanathar, Bhairavar and Durga devi.

Serpant king Naga- Sangan was a staunch Siva devotee.  Paduman, a serpant was a Vishnu devotee.  They frequently debated on who is Supreme among the Gods and they went to Parvati for the solution.  Parvati wanted to prove that they are equal and thus had undertaken a peance for the joint darshan of Lord Siva and Lord Vishnu and thus she had the darshan of Sankaranayanar, the joint form of Siva and vishnu.  As the Devas and rishis wanted to have darshan of both of them, they were also present as Punnai trees.  Sangan and Paduman, the serpants too, protrasted before Sankaranaryanan and had their blessing and stayed with Sankaranarayanan to hold the Umbrellas for siva and vishnu of Sankaranarayanan.  As both of them wanted this to be remembered they requested the Lord for that and thus came the theertham - Nagasunai theertham.  Shiva granted darshan to Parvati as Sankaralingam too. 

Gomathi amman
Go means cow and mathi means moon.  Celestial Maidens as cows came with Parvati for the penance of Parvati.  Her face radiates like the Moon and thus she is Gomathi.  In Tamil, she is addressed as Avudaiambigai.   She is adorned with flowers on Mondays and Golden kavacham on Fridays.  Those praying for their marriage and wishing the well being of their wards light up Mavilakku here.  Normally, Sri Chakra is installed under the peetam of the goddess or just in front of her.  Here Sri Chakra is installed before the Mandapam is called Agna Chakra.  

                                                           Gomathi Amman

Urchavar Gomathi Amman

Adi thapasu festival is celebrated as Parvathi was in penance on Lord Siva and Lord Narayana to have darshan as Sankaranarayanan and the festival is for 12 days.  This starts in the Tamil Month of Adi (July-August) on the Sukla Paksha Chaturthi.  On the last day of the festival, Parvati goes to the Thapas Mandapa with a bag of Vibhuti and that evening, Sree Sankaranayanan gives darshan to her arriving in elephant vahana.  While Maha-Annabhishekam takes place in all Shiva temples in Aippasi Pournami day, here it is conducted on 1st day Thula Masam, Aippasi.  

Thala vruksham is Punnai and theertham naga sunai theertham.

Temple Timings:

5.00 AM - 1.00 PM
4.00 PM - 9.00 PM